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wards became hilly and the soil generally sandy.— Eighteen miles and a quarter extent of fifth day's journey.
Dec. 12th.—Proceeded at 6, a.m. W.N.W. and crossed a great number of small streams and swamps, generally running, with the exception of one, to the S.S.E., in the direction of the Helena River. The soil on the banks was good, although the breadth of it was inconsiderable; the hills were usually sandy and rocky, but the country was always well watered and thickly wooded.—Eighteen miles extent of the sixth day's journey.
Dec. 15th.—At 6, a.m. commenced the descent of the mountains, which were extremely rocky, down a valley, from which we steered N.W. across an open and level country, and for the first nine miles over a loamy country, when it changed to a sandy surface, and continued so till our arrival at the islands on the Swan River. After proceeding a mile from the last night's bivouac we entered a country generally low and level, which, from its appearance, seemed subject to being flooded; it extended for nine miles to within four miles of the Swan River.
